April 2018 Pediatrics

Each month, we hand-search 87 top journals in pediatric speech–language pathology for the newest articles relevant to Pediatric SLPs. From a stack of 100+ articles per month, we narrow it down to those immediately applicable to clinical practice, and review them here! Read more about our process here.

Last month we shared research showing that parent ratings of stuttering severity were related to results on the Test of Childhood Stuttering. Now, these researchers analyzed data from three previous randomized controlled trials of that intervention with an eye to the outcome measures. They found that there was “no statistical reason to favor” the gold-standard Percent Syllables Stuttered (PSS) over a much easier, much faster parent-reported severity rating...

You see a kindergartener with developmental language disorder (DLD) for language therapy. You pick some toys, a game, or a book that will elicit lots of examples of the grammar targets you’re working on. While you play, you give her plenty of models, and use recasts to help her correct her own productions. Sounds pretty typical, yes? This article has a tip to make that intervention even better...

We all know reading books with our kids and clients is wonderful for language development, but what about shared reading makes it so beneficial to learning vocabulary? This study examined what elements of shared book reading contribute to word learning...

Inferential languageisn’t easy! And yet it’s important for both academic and social success. The authors of this study note: “…the ability to use inferential language is an important aspect of spoken language competence, and the foundation for literacy, for children and adolescents with neurodevelopmental disorders…”

We talked last month about JASPER-EMT, a play-based social communication intervention designed to increase language use in minimally verbal children with autism. The intervention includes a parent training component, and this study focused specifically on how parents’ use of the intervention strategies...

Telling stories is an important social skill, and one that may be challenging for children who use AAC. This study looked at stories told by 8- to 15-year-old children who use AAC with the support of a familiar communication partner. Children watched short, wordless videos that featured some sort of problem...

Kasari et al. compared two social skills group interventions for elementary-aged kids with ASD—structured, direct instruction groups comprised only of kids with ASD, and naturalistic groups that included typically developing peers. Which was more effective at building social connections for kids with ASD? The results might surprise you...